Trade vs Barter

[RasaNova]

Is there a point to this? I can switch between them, trade lets me buy and sell items for gold, and barter lets me trade items that add up to an equal gold value.

Isn't that kinda redundant? What's the point of the slower and more cumbersome trade mechanic when I can just exchange items for gold?

[Pyro]

Trade is instant, undoable transactions. Barter lets you take your time and balance your offer with items instead of just gold and then confirm

[felmari]

It allows non confirm instant trade where the other you can see everything on the table. More about how the player may want to go about it then separate functions.

I wish in the trade menu we could select multiples though. I do not always want to go through my inventory marking wares before hand.

[Switcher2k]

Bartering is simply a mechanism for trading when there is not enough currency on hand. Imagine you have 1 gold and 4 items worth 25g each. The trader has 1 gold and an item worth 100 gold that you want. You cannot sell your items to the trader for 100g as he only has 1g. But you can barter (trade) your 4 items for his 100g item. This is how the world worked before currency was invented. If the trader has 100g, then you can just sell (i.e. trade your items for currency), then use currency to buy the item you wanted. There is no advantage either way. In the game, if you loot all valuable gear and sell to vendors such that all vendors are always depleted of gold, you will never need to barter.

[Malidictus]

Barter's good for when the vendor doesn't have enough gold. It's also good for "donating" money or items to them, so they like you and give you discounts.

[1337_h4x0r_xXx_deathlord666_xXx]

I always use barter, as I can put in what I want, modify it etc, until I get a result I'm happy with. There's no undo in the direct trade...

[Ironwu]

No real point to Barter in BG3. So much loot to sell you will have to stash gold in your bank as it will be to heavy to carry it all around. Trade is fine. And a heck of a lot faster. Mark stuff as 'Wares' and sell it all in one pop. :)